The NBA has hired marketer PAMELA EL as the league’s new CMO, the latest management move under NBA Commissioner ADAM SILVER. As CMO, El will oversee the league’s global marketing, branding and advertising operations. She begins her new job on Aug. 18 and will report to NBA Deputy Commissioner MARK TATUM. El comes to the NBA from Nationwide Insurance, where she worked as senior VP/financial brand marketing since June '13. Prior to Nationwide, El spent 11 years at State Farm, where she played a key role in the company’s sponsorship deal with the NBA and its endorsement deal with LEBRON JAMES. Prior to working for Nationwide and State Farm, El worked for Terabeam Corp., U.S. West Communications, and The Martin Agency. El joins the NBA after the departure of former Exec VP/Marketing JAMIE GALLO (John Lombardo, SportsBusiness Journal). ... Spanish second division side Osasuna announced it has hired JAN URBAN as its new coach. Urban "takes over with the objective of returning the club to La Liga" (EFE, 7/9). ... Liga MX side América announced that RICARDO PELÁEZ "is returning to his position as the club's sporting president after working as the sports director of the Mexican national team during the World Cup" (LA AFICION, 7/9). ... NEIL ENGLAND "has quit his high-profile role at Silverstone after recent changes by the British Racing Drivers' Club." These changes "were made in the wake of the investment deal struck last September with commercial property company MEPC." England "was instrumental in recent investments in the circuit," most notably the £27M "Wing" pit and paddock complex, but with MEPC in place, England "has decided the time was right for him to move on" (SKY SPORTS, 7/9). ... The 20th FIM Europe Congress elected WOLFGANG SRB as its new president. He received 63 of 75 possible votes. During the Congress, eight VPs were elected: NINA BIRJUKOVA, LaMSF-Latvia, JEAN-MARC DESNUES, FFM-France, MARTIN DE GRAAFF, KNMV, The Netherlands, JUHANI HALME, SML, Finland, SILVIO MANICARDI, FMI, Italy, MICHAL SIKORA, PZM, Poland, JAN STOVICEK, ACCR, Czech Republic, and MICHAEL TURK, MUL, Luxembourg. Four judges and two auditors "were also elected by acclamation" (FIM Europe).

Spanish MotoGP rider DANI PEDROSA "has extended his contract with the Repsol Honda factory team through '16." In addition, 31-year-old NINA PRINZ "will make her Moto2 debut this weekend." Prinz "will become the second German woman to compete for world championship points" after KATJA POENSGEN (KURIER, 7/9). ... Former Belgian National Olympic Committee Secretary General GUIDO DE BONDT "received the Olympic Order in a ceremony at IOC headquarters" on Tuesday (AROUND THE RINGS, 7/8). ... Prior to Wednesday's semifinal match between Argentina and the Netherlands, a minute of silence was held for former Real Madrid player ALFREDO DI STÉFANO, who died Monday at age 88. Players for both teams "also wore black armbands to honor the memory of Di Stéfano" (EFE, 7/9). ... British cyclist CHRIS FROOME's "attempt to win a second successive Tour de France ended in bitter disappointment" on Wednesday when he crashed out on stage five. On a "miserable wet day" in northern France, Froome "did not even make it to the notorious cobbled sections as his second fall of the day, following another painful spill on Tuesday, led to him quitting after less than a week of his attempted defence" (REUTERS, 7/9). ... South Korean national football team coach HONG MYUNG-BO "is expected to step down." Hong "had expressed his willingness to resign after South Korea's group-stage exit" from the World Cup, but the Korea FA "persuaded him to lead the team until the Asian Cup to be held in Australia in January" (KOREA TIMES, 9/7). ... Former NBA player YAO MING is working with top American and Chinese officials to "stamp out global trade in endangered species and their parts." Yao "focused much of his efforts against shark fin consumption and elephant ivory use." U.S. Secretary of State JOHN KERRY joined him in Beijing on Tuesday (AP, 7/9).

OLE JOURNALIST KILLED: Argentine newspaper Ole reporter JORGE LÓPEZ died following a car accident early Wednesday morning in Sao Paulo. He was riding in a taxi that "crashed into a vehicle driven by thieves who were trying to elude police." The driver of López's taxi "suffered a shoulder injury." The three "delinquents in the car that crashed into the taxi were detained by police." Just "a few hours earlier, López had been interviewing" Argentine Manager ALEJANDROSABELLA (OLE, 7/9).